I found out about the training during lockdown

The turning point for me came with the corona pandemic and the strict lockdown in the spring of 2020. Everything was closed and I was sat at home. That’s when I read on Facebook that CORP in Tunis was looking for participants to take part in an online training course to become a community manager. I said to myself, why not? I’m the sort of person who’s always looking ahead, always working towards something. So I applied, and I was successful.

This training course was a very good experience for me. I had no idea that I’ve got so much potential. After a month, I was the first participant to be offered a job. That was funny, because it actually came about through a practical exercise during retraining. We were asked to evaluate a website. I chose a start-up, but its website didn’t in any way correspond to what I had just learned. I found so many weaknesses. The graphics didn’t match the brand. The colours were randomly chosen. The captions were poor. There weren’t any hashtags. The Facebook posts were all over the place. These factors meant there was no interaction at all. So I contacted the boss directly and told him, "Hey, I’ve got a few suggestions for you". He listened to them and hired me straight away. The same thing happened with a web development company, where I was also fortunate to work during my retraining.

Building on the foundations and continuing with professional development

This retraining gave me a major boost. It was clear to me that I was learning and understanding the basics. But then I realised that the basic knowledge I had acquired is a great starting point for learning so much more. I was able to build on this foundation and carry on with the professional development that I organised myself. I now have a lot of experience. I develop and manage marketing campaigns on Google Ads, Facebook and Instagram, administer influencer marketing, websites and blogs, and create content and distribute it via the social networks.

I soak up everything like a sponge when I’m learning. I then try to make something big out of it when it comes to implementation. My current work is therefore is so much more than just a job. There is always something new on the horizon. You need to constantly develop new ideas to successfully market a product or service. That’s a daily challenge. Every day is a new adventure. I don't know what to expect when I go into my office in the morning. I certainly come home a bit exhausted in the evening, but I feel self-reliant and independent. Maybe I can get support from the GIZ to attend other professional development courses in the digital field. I’m very interested in image editing. First of all, I'm doing a master's degree in English Literature and Intercultural Studies alongside my work. And who knows, perhaps one day I’ll found my own start-up.

Date: 01/2022

The opportunities for advice and assistance described here are offered as part of “Returning to New Opportunities”.